KIEV, March 17. /ITAR-TASS/. Ukraine’s National Guard and National Security Service have stepped up security measures at the country’s gas transportation and gas distribution system and taken it under full control, the Ukrainian Interior Ministry said on Monday.

“This decision has been taken to ensure security and uninterrupted work of the country’s major infrastructure facility,” it said.

The ministry earlier announced the beginning of recruitment to the National Guard, the law on the creation of which had been adopted by the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) on March 13.

The National Guard is being created on the basis of the country’s Interior Troops. “The unit’s numerical strength is up to 60,000 men, and if the need arises to reinforce it, the parliament is to make the corresponding decisions,” said Oleksandr Turchynov, parliament speaker who was appointed acting president by the Verkhovna Rada.